Beginning Of The End
by GeorgiaDawg99
Summary: Jinora and Kai were at completely different ends of the social spectrum. If someone were to take a look at them, they would never expect the two to become friends. But sometimes something happens that takes two people from opposite sides of the spectrum and brings them together. A Kainora zombie apocolypse AU. Rated T for violence, romance, and language.


**Author's Note: I am sorry for my lack of recent activity. Life has taken over my, well, life. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the first chapter of this Kainora Zombie Apocalypse AU. Please review and let me know what you think as well as tell all your Kainora loving friends about it. Blood In The Snow will be updated soon as well. I am currently working on Chapter 3 of it. Avatar High is on hiatus for now. But I think I will get that updated during Christmas Break, which is coming is a few weeks. I have plans for that story, and I think the wait will be worth it. Better a well planned story than a quickly put together half-baked story, am I right? Anyways, hope you are all well. Oh! And if anyone wanted to do fanart for any of my stories, please let me know! That would be so awesome! So yeah, any artists out there who want to do that, let me know.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Legend Of Korra.**

" _You'd be surprised how much you can have in common with someone completely different from you." –Unknown_

X X X X

Jinora Gyatso had always been a bookish person. She was always quiet and reserved at school, studied hard, and got good grades.

Kai Lightfoot had always been a fun-loving, mischevious guy. He liked to play pranks and hang out with friends. He wasn't the best student, but he had relatively good social skills.

Jinora and Kai were at completely different ends of the social spectrum. If someone were to take a look at them, they would never expect the two to become friends. But sometimes something happens that takes two people from opposite sides of the spectrum and brings them together.

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"Jinora, just get in the car for Pete's sake!"

"I'm staying here dad. No way I'm going to some party for some person I don't know."

"I told you, they are close friends of your mother and I!"

"Then how come I have to come? They're your friends not mine."

"Because, it's the polite thing to do!"

Tenzin Gyatso stood fuming above his daughter, Jinora, who was sitting on her bed, her nose buried in a book.

"Dad," Jinora said, not even glancing away from the page she was on, "I'm not going."

It looked like Tenzin was about to burst a vein. Thankfully, his wife and Jinora's mom, Pema, entered the room at that moment.

"What is all the yelling about?" she asked, laying a hand on her husbands arm.

"Jinora has taken it into her mind that she can decide whether or not she goes with us to see the Changs," Tenzin said.

"Well Tenzin, she is seventeen years old. In less than year she will be an adult. I don't see why she can't make a decision over a silly thing like this."

"See, mom agrees with me," Jinora chimed in, finally looking up from her book.

"But Pema!"

"Come on Tenzin. Let here stay."

"Fine," Tenzin grunted. He turned his head back to Jinora then.

"But you can't leave the house while were gone. And next time we are invited to someone's house, you are coming."

"Fine," Jinora said, "Now can I get back to my reading?"

Tenzin grumbled and walked out. Pema looked sympathetically at her eldest daughter.

"You know he loves you honey. That's why he wanted you to come. He wanted to introduce his daughter who he loves and cares about to some of his friends."

"Yeah, I know, I know," Jinora said. Pema smiled at her.

"Good. Well, your father, your siblings and I will be off now. I love you sweetie." Pema bent down and brushed some of Jinora's hair back, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you too mom. Bye."

Pema walked out of Jinora's bedroom and shut the door behind her. The sound of Jinora's younger siblings, Ikki and Meelo, arguing could be heard until Pema shoed them out of the house and into the family's car. Jinora peeked out the window and watched her mother strap Rohan, her youngest sibling, into his car seat. Tenzin then came out and climbed in the drivers seat. Once everyone was in the car, he started it and took off slowly down the street. Jinora sighed and finally looked back at the words on the page. She was reading one of her favorite romance novels. It was about two people who started off as enemies, but fell in love as the novel went on. Jinora loved it. As she dived back into the story, she lost track of time. A couple hours later though, a phone call startled her out of her reading. Jinora jumped up grabbed her cell of her dresser. She pressed answer and put it up to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Jinora!" a muffled voice came through.

"Mom?" Jinora said.

"Sweetie! There's not much time! Something's happened!"

"What? What do you mean something's happened?"

"I don't have time to explain. Just find somewhere and hide sweetie. Don't come looking for us. Hide! And sweetie, remember, me and your father both, we love you so, so much."

"Mom!" Jinora pleaded, almost in tears now, "Please, what's happening?"

"I love you Jinora. I love you."

Jinora opened up her mouth to speak again, but was cut off by the sound of screaming coming through the phone.

"MOM!" Jinora yelled. There was another scream, them some kind of gargling growl, then just static.

"Mom?" Jinora said, tears streaming down her face, "Mom! Please, please answer!" She fell down to her knees.

"Mom, no. No, please, no." She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there before she finally remembered what her mother had told her. _Hide._ But why? Jinora was torn. Should she follow her mother's orders and stay inside or go looking for her family. Jinora looked out the window at the empty street. The sun was beginning to set. That's when she knew she had to go after them. Even if her family was…Jinora swallowed…dead. She pushed the thought out of her head and grabbed her backpack. She then pulled on an army green jacket. She pulled on a pair of sneakers and hurried down the stair to the kitchen. Not sure what she was in for, she grabbed some food and stuffed it in her backpack. She thought for a moment, and then grabbed a kitchen knife, just in case something really was out there. She then snuck out the door quietly. As she walked down the street, she took note of how silent it was. Not even the birds were singing. It was eerie almost, how silent it was. Jinora gripped the kitchen knife tighter in her hand. She didn't care what people would think if they saw her right now. She remembered the address her parents had left her in case anything happened. The house was around three blocks away. Suddenly, a scream cut through the silence like the blade of a knife. Jinora jumped, gripping the knife until her knuckles grew white. She heard a low growling towards her right. She slowly turned her head, fearing what would be there. At first she saw nothing. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement. She turned around just in time to see someone hurtling towards her. Except it was more of a something than a someone. It had a human look to it, but at the same time was not human. Its skin was a grayish brown color. Its face was gaunt. Jinora didn't get to make out much more detail than that as it lunged at her. Jinora slashed out with her knife on instinct, catching this thing that was not human on its chest. It didn't even slow down very much. Jinora stumbled backwards and tripped over the edge of the sidewalk, falling of her back. The kitchen knife slipped out of her grasp and skid across the pavement, away from her. Jinora got a closer look at the creature that was attacking her as it approached. Its flesh almost seemed to be rotting. And the stench, it was horrible. It had clothes on, but they were torn and dirty. In places, skin was missing and muscle or even bone showed through. Black blood spilled out of the knife wound Jinora had given it. But the worst part was its eyes. Its eyes were completely blank and clouded. Like it wasn't even seeing. _"Is this the end? Is this how I'm going to die? At the hands of a monster?"_ Jinora thought to herself. As the creature came closer, Jinora shut her eyes, preparing to die. _"This is it. This is the end."_

The sudden rumbling of a motorcycle reached her ears, followed by a bang, and Jinora opened her eyes just in time to see a bullet got through the head of the monster that had been attacking her. It fell to the ground with a thump, more black blood spilling out of its head. Jinora stared as a boy on a motorcycle rolled up beside her. He stopped the engine and looked at her.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. Jinora looked at him. He looked familiar. He had dark brown hair which was shaved on the sides, emerald green eyes, and tan skin. _Kai._ His name sprung into her mine. _Kai Lightfoot_.

"You're Kai Lightfoot, right?"

"Yeah. I've seen you around school before. Jinora right?" Kai said.

Jinora nodded. She then remembered how he had just saved her.

"Thank you," she said.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Don't worry about it."

"What was that thing?" she asked him. Kai sighed.

"Look, if we want to survive, we need to keep moving."

"We?"

"Yeah," Kai said, "We'll be safer if we stay together. No offense but I don't think you'll make it very long on your own with that little kitchen knife of yours."

Jinora narrowed her eyes. Maybe this guy wasn't as kind as she thought.

"Excuse me, but why exactly would you say that? You don't know me at all."

"Exactly. That's why I said I don't _think_."

"Clearly," Jinora muttered. It was Kai's turn to narrow his eyes at her.

"Look, I didn't have to save you. I could have left you to die, but I didn't. The least you could do is thank me by being a little bit nicer."

"Fine."

"So, are you coming or not?"

"No," Jinora said, "I need to find my parents. They are at dinner wither friends a few blocks away from here." She purposely left out the part of the phone call from her mother telling her to hide. And the growl she heard over the phone that was very similar to the one of the thing that had attacked her. Not like it was any of his business anyway.

"Well, let me at least give you a ride there," Kai said. Jinora walked over to pick up the kitchen knife.

"Why are you so eager to give me a ride?" Jinora asked.

"I am not eager. I'm just trying to be nice."

"Well, go be nice elsewhere."

"Why won't you let me be nice to you?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

Jinora fell silent, realizing she had no reason.

"Come one. We'll be safer together," Kai said, taking a quieter tone, "Those things, whatever they are, are clearly dangerous."

"What are they?" Jinora whispered. Kai sighed and ran a hand through his messy undercut.

"I don't know. But they look an awful lot like zombies to me."

Jinora scoffed.

"Zombies? Really? They aren't real."

Kai shrugged.

"A lot of things are real that people once doubted the existence of," he said.

"Fine, I'll let you give me a ride," Jinora said.

"Good."

Jinora walked over and climbed on the motorcycle behind Kai. She held on to him as the engine roared to life. At first they rode in silence. Then Jinora spoke.

"Do you think there are more of those things?" she asked timidly.

"I don't know," Kai sighed, "I think there's a good chance though."

Silence once again fell upon them. As they continued to ride however, the acrid smell of smoke reached them. Jinora gasped at what lay in front of them. In the very neighborhood where her parents were eating dinner, flames rose high into the night. Houses burned and crumbled right in front of them. The most terrifying about the whole thing was the silence present there. Kai stopped the motorcycle, and Jinora jumped off.

"Mom! Dad!" she yelled, her sneakers pounding on the pavement as she ran. She looked desperately at the mailboxes that weren't burned for the address her parents had given her. Finally, she found it. The house was an inferno.

"No… NO!" Jinora screamed. She fell to her knees. Tears fell down onto the grass below like raindrops. That's when she heard the all too familiar growl. Jinora was filled with rage she didn't know she didn't know she could possess. She stood up and and gripped the kitchen knife as a zombie approached her.

"You. You are the cause of this!"

Jinora slashed out with her knife as the zombie reached her, determined this time to not have to be rescued like some helpless damsel in distress. Anger and adrenaline rushed through her veins as she ducked and dodged. She jabbed the knife in its chest, twisting the blade as she did so. The zombie fell limp and Jinora let it fall to the ground as she pulled the knife out. She stood stunned for a moment, then looked down at her hands which were covered in the zombie's black blood. Her hands began to shake and Jinora dropped the knife.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. I killed it. I killed it," she mumbled. She heard footsteps picked up her knife off the ground in a flash, turning around and preparing to face the next zombie, but it was just Kai. He had a concerned expression on his face as he took in her stricken one.

"Hey," he said softly, "We need out get out of here. There could be more coming any moment."

Jinora nodded and followed him numbly.

B-E-G-I-N-N-I-N-G-|-O-F-|-T-H-E-|-E-N-D

Kai added more wood to the fire, then looked over at Jinora, who had been silent ever since they'd stopped to make camp for the night. Kai had decided it was safest to drive out of the town and into the countryside. So, after driving for over two hours, they had stopped at the edge of the woods. Kai had made a fire and now the two were just sitting there in silent. Jinora's hands still had the zombie's blood on it, dried now of course. Kai sighed, feeling bad for this girl. Her family had died tonight. Or maybe gotten turned into zombies for all they knew. Kai didn't have a family. His parents were gone. No one who really cared about him or who he really cared about was dead. Jinora had it different though. She'd grown up with a family that loved her and now they were all gone. He felt like he should say something to her.

"Hey," Kai said, "I'm sorry about what happened to family."

Jinora finally looked up at him, and Kai could see the tears running down her face. Her hands began to shake. Kai's eyes widened.

"Hey, hey! It's okay! You're gonna be alright! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned what happened. Please stop crying. Or continue. I don't know. Whichever makes you feel better I guess."

Jinora began to sob. Kai looked over at his canteen. He then grabbed it and walked over to where Jinora was sitting, kneeling down beside her. He silently uncapped his canteen, and took one of her hands in his. He then poured some water of it, washing the blood off of it. Once all the blood was off that hand, he moved onto the other. He washed them for her until all the blood was gone. By then, he'd used up all the water and Jinora had stopped crying. Kai put down his canteen sat down by her. After a moment, Jinora spoke.

"I'm sorry," she said shakily.

"Huh? What do you have to be sorry for?" Kai asked, confused.

"I made you use up all your water."

"Oh," Kai said looking at the now empty canteen, "Eh, it's okay. I'm pretty sure I heard a stream nearby. I can fill it up there tomorrow."

Jinora was quiet again. The reflection of the flames danced in her brown eyes.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Kai said to her, "I'll take first watch and make sure no zombies find us. I will wake you up in a few hours for your turn."

Jinora nodded and laid down, resting her head on her backpack. She was fast asleep by the time it was her turn to take watch. Kai looked at her and decided to let her sleep. After all she'd been through today, she needed it. And Kai could handle staying up a whole night.

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Jinora woke up as the first light of dawn shown through. Kai was sitting with his back against a tree.

"You didn't wake me up," she said.

Kai turned his head towards her.

"You're awake," he noted.

"Yes. I am. Why didn't you wake me up for second watch?"

"You looked like you needed your rest."

"I would have been fine."

"Well excuse me for trying to be nice," Kai said, standing up.

"Where are you going?" Jinora asked.

"To find that stream and refill the canteen. Wait here."

"Since when do you have any authority over me?"

Kai threw up his arms is exasperation.

"Are you gonna argue with me over everything I say?"

"Fine. Go fill up the canteen."

"Thank you for your oh so gracious permission your highness," Kai said sarcastically.

"Hey!" Jinora shouted, but Kai was already walking away. Jinora sighed. Then her stomach growled and she realized she hadn't eaten since lunch time yesterday. She unzipped her backpack and took a look at the food she had randomly grabbed for the first time. She pulled out a packet of saltines, a can of baked beans, some canned peaches, a loaf of bread, and some peanut butter. She decided to open up the bread and then used the kitchen knife, which the blood of the zombie had been cleaned off of, to spread some peanut butter on it. She then put all the food back in the backpack. Right as she took a bite, Kai came back.

"You have food? Great!" he exclaimed, apparently forgetting their previous argument.

"You want some?" Jinora asked.

"Do you even need to ask?" Kai said grinning. Jinora gave him a small smile and pulled the bread and peanut butter back out. She spread some peanut butter on it, then handed it to him.

"Thanks," Kai said, taking a big bite out of it.

"Hey, um, I'm sorry about before," Jinora said.

"Eh, it's fine. Considering all that's happened, well, you're handling it pretty well."

"Not really. I'm just pretty good at hiding it," Jinora said looking down sadly.

"Hey," Kai said, "Keep your chin up. Everything's gonna be ok."

"How will everything be okay? My family is dead Kai."

Kai frowned, not sure what to say.

"Well, I , I don't know. But you're just gonna have to trust me, okay?"

"Trust you?"

"Yeah. We can stick together, okay? It'll be safer."

Jinora thought for a moment before nodding.

"Okay. So what now?"

"Well, I'd say we keep moving. We don't know how many zombies there are and whether or not they are in other towns besides ours," Kai said.

"Okay."

Kai finished his slice of bread, then stood up.

"So are you ready?"

"For what?"

"To keep moving. We need to," Kai said.

"Oh. Uh, I guess so." Jinora grabbed her backpack and stood up. Kai jumped on his motorcycle and Jinora climbed on behind him. But when Kai turned the key in the ignition, the engine made a weird rattling sound. Kai frowned and tried again. Still no success. On the third time, the engine didn't even make a sound.

"Shit," Kai muttered.

"Kai?" Jinora questioned.

"The engines dead," Kai sighed, "Looks like we're walking."


End file.
